$20 million for before and after school care places

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The 2015-16 NSW Budget includes a $20 million Before and After School Care Fund, which will ensure more Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) places are available from the beginning of 2016.

Minister for Early Childhood Education and Member for Port Macquarie, Leslie Williams said that schools without an OSHC service will be able to apply for funding from August this year.

The Before and After School Care Fund delivers on a key election commitment to help families.

“We want to make it easier for working parents to access before and after school care services and we will increase the number of OSHC places across the State by helping schools with the cost of establishing a service,” Mrs Williams said.

Grants of up to $20,000 to establish new services will be distributed to successful applicants from October. The grants can be used for fit-out costs, tendering or establishment costs, or to pay for necessary equipment to support the new service.

The Before and After School Care Fund will help to deliver up to 45,000 additional OSHC places in government and non-government schools.

“This Government is already working to provide OSHC services in new schools in areas where there are not sufficient local services already available,” Mrs Williams said.

“The funding in the budget will go a long way to relieving the pressure that families face when trying to enrol their children in before and after school care.”

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